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| Common Sense, Politeness and Modesty
Communication Style Australians score high when referring to direct communication styles. They are renowned for their friendliness, use humour and wit, but are remarkably clear when problems arise, disagreement surfaces or when criticism must be delivered. However, that does certainly not mean the English language spoken in Australia is always clear cut. As a job hunter, do not be fooled by the use of English language, which can provide you with a false sense of security. Australians, for example, do use indirect ways of communicating. For instance, “we must go for coffee soon” is just meant to be friendly, it is not an invitation. And a “five finger discount” is a pleasant way of referring to shoplifting. The choice of words is certainly more cautious than in American English. A “disaster” in the American workplace is likely to be more of a “problem” in Australia. Doing Business with the Australians Australians are in favour of pragmatic, result-oriented and efficient societies. Hierarchical organisations are avoided, following the principle “if it is taller than you, chop it down”. Negotiations progress rapidly and, although bargaining is not appreciated, you should always leave some room for give-and-take. In general, Australians look for mutual interests as the basis for agreement. They prefer to tackle a situation upfront and prefer an objective, problem-solving approach whenever conflicts do arise. Logical, factual arguments and professional opinions based on practical experience are used to solve issues. Instinct or gut feeling should be avoided at all times. The “Tall Poppy Syndrome” Egalitarianism is a cherished idea down under and organisations have flat management structures. If you are working with Australians, it is quite important to find a balance between competing for success and being a team-mate. Authority is disliked and everyone should be treated equally. Success should not be overtly celebrated as modesty is an appreciated virtue. In working situations, Australians prefer nobody to stand out from the crowd in terms of achievement or success and they like to criticize or cut down those who are superior to them. This is referred to as the “Tall Poppy Syndrome” – because a poppy flower gets cut down when it grows too high. When it comes to sports, however, Aussies have quite a competitive nature. And although that success can be admired, it should be downplayed by the winner. In order to be successful in Australia, you should show some interest in sports. Down-to-Earth Down under prefers a down-to-earth approach. Australians like to be in control. They grow up believing that they will need to “do it for themselves”. Negativism is not accepted here. However, despite the belief that they are individually responsible for their own success, Australians distrust enthusiastic praise. So be aware of this during meetings and negotiations. Main Routes to Employment Individuals looking for work in Australia should use a variety of job searching methods. Relying on newspapers only is not the way to go. Approximately 70-80 percent of job vacancies are not advertised in the newspapers. This is not to say individual job seekers should disregard this source – they definitely should use it! Especially the Saturday editions of the main newspapers, such as “The Australian”, are filled with vacancies. Other methods which have proved successful to job applicants are networking, direct approaches to employers, recruitment agencies and the government organisation “Centrelink”. When looking for a job you should not underestimate the Internet or other resources such as the “Yellow Pages” or trade journals as they are the perfect source for compiling a list of prospective employers. Starting in a voluntary position or doing temporary work might also be a good way to get acquainted with the Australian job market – and get the necessary contacts to network! Nannette Ripmeester Managing Director, Expertise in Labour Mobility Co-author of “Looking for Work in Australia” 0031-10-4776816 info@labourmobility.com www.labourmobility.com itchy feet Nr.5, Ausgabe 2008 |
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